Delusional
by Allusioned Thoughts
Summary: Alex isn't your average fangirl. She scowls at screaming Edward-lovers. Yet somehow she finds herself at a Twilight convention in Forks. What happens when she meets a beautiful boy named Ellis? Is he a vampire?And does she love him? Heart-pounding ending!


About three things I was almost sort of positive.

First, Ellis was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him- and I must be insane or dreaming-that thirsted for blood.

And third, I was unwillingly and irreversibly in love with him.

Delusional

By Allusioned Thoughts

A cool drizzle was falling in the clearing. Alex stepped out of the trees into the open. She should never have come here. This place held memories that she had been trying to repress. This was where it all started. As she looked around the clearing, the memories came crashing into her mind.

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_It was a day like any other for me. Well, except for the fact that I was in Forks for a Twilight convention thousands of miles away from Phoenix with my older brother trying to hit on every over-obsessed Twilight fan girl there. Okay, far from normal._

_The hallway outside the convention room was crowded with girls wearing Edward t-shirts, holding millions of copies of books, and giggling with hope that a certain vampire hero would appear and sweep them off their feet. Losers._

_Inside was no different. I had to turn up the volume on my music player just to drown them out. I fervently hoped none of them saw what was playing on my screen. Muse happened to be the author's favorite band as well as mine. If one of them happened to catch sight of the song name, I would be swarmed by girls begging me to share. It had happened before._

_I didn't know why I was here. It was like torture. I was not a social person. In fact, I was close to losing it. My eighteen-year-old brother was tagging along behind me, flirting with every girl in sight that wasn't ten. He seemed to be attracting a lot of eyes. One girl walked up to him and asked his name. "Jacob," he said with a triumphant look on his face. He knew that was his ticket to fame. Every female in hearing distance swarmed him, asking if he was from La Push, and giggling._

_Great, more giggling. They seemed to do that a lot here._

_I pushed my way through the crowds and out the door. It wasn't raining outside, and I was surprised. It was always raining in Forks. But at least it wasn't sunny. I got more than enough sun in Arizona. I walked down the road, sloshing water into my shoes. I didn't care. It felt good to breathe the cool, fresh air. I could almost taste the sensation of growing things. I loved it here. All the sights were rich with green. I felt freer than I had in a long time as I strolled down a small trail. My phone started to vibrate and I pulled it out of my pocket. It was Jake, calling to see where I'd gone. As long as he knew where I was, he didn't care much what I did. At sixteen I was old enough to look after myself._

_When my mom announced that Jake was taking me to a Twilight convention in Washington for my birthday, I couldn't have been more shocked. I didn't know she knew I had the book, much less read it. I know it's hard to believe, but I had read it. In fact, I loved the story. What I didn't like was the way all the other girls in the world behaved about it. I dressed in black all the time to show everyone that I wasn't like other people. I strived to be different. I was far from goth, in my opinion. Unfortunately, no one else thought that. All I did was wear black, have black fingernails, and not talk to anyone much. I have blonde hair, and I don't wear strange piercings! But I really didn't care what everyone thought, so it didn't matter._

_So, Jake and I drove up from hot, dry Phoenix to cool, humid, beautiful Forks. It was the first real freedom I had ever experienced. Much to my dismay, fan girls were everywhere! So much for the freedom. Wandering down trails was much better than being back there. My mind snapped back to reality as I reached a dead end._

_"Great," I muttered. I looked around. I didn't want to go back, so I decided to go ahead without a trail. I was good at hiking. I did it all the time in Arizona, up in the mountains. My dad and I used to take weekend hiking trips all the time before he disappeared two years before. I walked through the woods, leaving occasional markers so I could find my way back. The trees on the Olympic peninsula were enormous. I could smell life everywhere._

_As I continued on, I saw a light up ahead. I went a little faster, wanting to see what was there. It pulled me with a tugging want in my mind. And suddenly, I was there. I stepped out from the trees into a clearing._

_It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen._

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_Looking around, I saw I was in an oval shaped clearing with long grass up to my ankles. The long branches of surrounding trees were extended out, filtering the light a surreal green color. Ivy wrapped itself around the tree trunks and around five stumps situated in a circular shape in the middle. There was nothing especially different about it, but I had a strange feeling that I belonged here. It was quiet, away from everyone, a place where I could sit and think. I sat down on one of the stumps, pulling off my black sweatshirt and put my hair up in a ponytail. I kicked away my shoes, letting my feet rest on the cool, wet grass. I sat there for a long time, just enjoying the peace._

_After a while, the hairs on the back of my neck started to stand up. I felt like I was being watched. A twig snapped directly behind me and I stood up. Whirling around quickly, I clenched my fist and flew into a pair of strong arms. I found myself staring into the bluest eyes I'd ever seen._

_It was a smiling boy of sixteen or seventeen with dark hair and bright eyes._

_"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He had a voice unlike any I'd heard before. Afterwards, I could only think of one word to describe it, though ironically, it came from Stephenie Meyer. His voice was like velvet._

_"Who are you?" I demanded._

_"I was about to ask you the same thing," he stated, letting go of me and sitting on the stump across from me._

_"You go first," I said stubbornly, also sitting down. He laughed and said, "I'm Ellis Stratton. And you happen to be in my hiding spot."_

_"Oh."_

_"Now, who are you?"_

_I sighed and said, "Alex Martin." He paused and looked thoughtful._

_"Is Alex short for something?"_

_"Um, well," I stuttered. "Yes, Alexandra."_

_"I like that," said Ellis, nodding. "My name isn't exactly common either."_

_I really didn't want to be talking about names with this strange boy like we knew each other. All I wanted was to run back to my hotel room, once again being alone. He kept going on about his parents' trip to Ellis Island, so I took the opportunity to study him. He was wearing a plain gray t-shirt and jeans with holes in the knees. He had dark hair that was almost black. It was straight and lay perfectly on his head. His eyes were blue, but as I looked closely, they seemed to be gold. He had pale skin like he had never been outside, yet he had visible strength in his arms. His nose and chin were straight and defined. He was tall and lean, but not skinny. When I really looked, he seemed, well, perfect._

_He had stopped talking and looked at me expectantly. He had just asked me a question. Oops._

_"Sorry, what?" I asked._

_"I said, why do you wear all that black? You don't seem like someone who would."_

_"Oh, well I don't know, I just do."_

_"Hmm," Ellis muttered. "Did you move here to Forks?"_

_"No, I'm here for the convention."_

_"Really?" he said. "Oh. I live here." He leaned back on his palms and faced the rain that was starting to drizzle._

_"Must be nice to be here year-round." I said with longing._

_"Definitely. You really love Forks, don't you?"_

_I nodded. He was asking all the questions and I strangely wanted to know more about him. I leaned in closer._

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_Two hours later we were still conversing eagerly, although we were both soaking wet from the still falling rain._

_"Do you have any family?" I asked_

_"Just my father, but he works as the doctor here." said Ellis. "He's at the hospital a lot, even at night, so I come to this spot to just be alone. It sure beats being alone in an empty house."_

_"I know what you mean. My mom works and my brother Jacob is always off playing basketball." I said._

_"Where are you from?" he asked suddenly._

_"Phoenix, Arizona." I replied without thinking. It was a stupid thing to do. I didn't even know this boy!_

_"Long way off, huh?" He turned back to face me. His eyes shifted disconcertingly from blue to gold. His expression was curious._

_"Yeah." As I looked in his eyes, my heart started beating quicker. A queer fluttering feeling entered my stomach. He leaned in towards me._

_"Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?" he asked with a mischievous glitter in his now blue eyes._

_I shook my head._

_"Come on," Ellis said, grabbing my hand and pulling me to my feet. I had a sudden urge to follow._

_"Wait," I said, putting on my shoes and grabbing my sweatshirt. I pulled my hair out. "Okay. Let's go." I grinned, something I hadn't done in a while._

_He led me through the trees, never letting go of my hand. I can't say I really minded. My head was spinning with excitement. What was I doing with him? Living in a city had taught me never to do things like this, yet here I was! My mom was always doting on what a responsible teenager I was, how I never got into trouble. It was true. So where was my head? I didn't know._

_Something about Ellis had sparked a nerve in me that I didn't even know I had. I couldn't place the feeling that was ruling my actions. I felt nervous, anxious, excited, free, and light all at the same time!_

_My attention returned to the present as we reached the end of the trail. There, resting against a tree, was a big bike. I was no expert on anything mechanical. I didn't even know what kind of motorcycle it was. Ellis let go of my hand and walked over to it. He held out a red helmet._

_"You are allowed to ride one, aren't you?" he asked cautiously._

_"I-I'm not sure," I stuttered. Would Jake mind? I didn't know. Suddenly I smiled. What Jake didn't know wouldn't hurt him._

_"Let's go," grinned Ellis, reading my mind. I grabbed the helmet and jumped on behind him. My breathing became uneven when I thought about the whole situation. He revved up the bike and we sped off down the street._

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_We rode around town for a long while. It was the most fun I ever had. The speed of flying down the roads of the Olympic peninsula was exhilarating. The wind whipped around the blonde hair that wasn't tucked under my helmet. I had to hold on to Ellis's middle in order to even stay on the motorcycle. I didn't exactly have any problems with it._

_Around five we stopped in town at a small café. I realized I was starving as a result of missing lunch. When we got inside the restaurant, Ellis led me to an empty booth in the corner of the room. The waitress came to take our order. She was a tall skinny girl with unnaturally red hair. She kept batting her long eyelashes at Ellis. It was pathetic, yet I found myself extremely annoyed._

_"Two Cokes please." said Ellis. Reluctantly, the waitress walked off. When she came back, she handed us our drinks, never taking her eyes off Ellis. I took mine eagerly and drank it too quickly. With a grin on his face, Ellis slid his to me. I took it. All of a sudden I got dizzy, as if I had had a strange sense of déjà vu. He caught the look on my face._

_"What's wrong? Is it the drink?"_

_"No, no. I just got dizzy for a second. Probably too much riding. It's nothing," I insisted. I felt fine after that. Ellis and I talked about our favorite things to do until the flirtatious waitress came back. I ordered a burger and fries._

_"What would you like?" she asked Ellis._

_"Nothing, thanks," he replied._

_"Isn't there anything at all I can get you?" she insisted._

_"No thank you," said Ellis politely. As the waitress walked away, it seemed like she was pouting._

_"What's up? On a diet or something?" I teased._

_"Nah, I'll eat when I get home." He smiled back at me. "So, are city girls always this adventurous?"_

_"What do you mean?" I was confused._

_"Well, you took a ride on a motorcycle with a complete stranger, and now here we are." He leaned towards me across the table. I felt my heart accelerate._

_"I don't know what it is," I admitted. "You just seemed to, well, pull me in. I got the same exact feeling in the woods as I headed towards the clearing." I looked away, embarrassed. I could feel my cheeks heat up._

_"I know exactly how you feel," said Ellis. His blue eyes turned gold and started to smolder. He put his hand over mine. I just knew he could hear my heart flying a thousand miles a minute._

_Both of us suddenly sat up straight as the waitress walked back with my food. Perfect timing. I rolled my eyes. Ellis grinned widely at me._

_As I ate my burger and fries, he stared out the window. When I was done, he turned back to me._

_"It's almost sunset. Would you like to go back to the clearing?" Watching the sunset in a beautiful clearing with the most perfect person I had ever seen?_

_"Of course," I replied._

_We left the café and rode back to the clearing. I was so anxious, my stomach felt like it would give me back my dinner. Thankfully, it didn't. When we arrived back, the entire oval opening was bathed in golden light._

_We sat on the stumps, and Ellis put his arm around my shoulders. It was one of the most perfect moments in my entire life._

_Later that night, Ellis dropped me off at the hotel that Jake and I were staying at. Luckily, Jacob didn't mind that I had skipped out on the convention. I gave him an excuse to get away from home. He didn't care one bit. Once again, I was shocked that someone would trust me so deeply. I wondered if I was earning it._

_As I lay in bed, I decided to re-read Twilight. I found that I agreed with Bella in ways that I hadn't comprehended before. It was strange, though. Whenever I pictured Edward, I now saw Ellis's face._

_Eventually I got to the part in the book where Bella and Edward were eating in the restaurant after Bella had almost gotten kidnapped. It hit me like a slap in the face. Earlier that day, when I experienced that dizzying feeling, it really was déjà vu! In Twilight, Edward did the exact same thing that Ellis had done._

_This wouldn't have been such a big deal if it hadn't got me started thinking. Why did Ellis's eyes turn gold? Why was his skin so pale? Why didn't he eat anything at the café? And why, of all places, was this perfect boy in Forks? I had to force myself to think the word. Was Ellis a vampire?_

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_That night I had a strange dream. In it, Ellis stood side by side with my interpretation of Edward Cullen. All three of us stood in the clearing. A breeze stirred and Edward got an odd look on his face. Suddenly he grew fangs and lunged towards me. Ellis stepped in between us to defend me and Edward disappeared. I woke up screaming._

_The next day would be hard to face. What was I going to say to Ellis? I had completely read all three Twilight books last night, combing desperately through them to find some small detail that said he wasn't what I feared he was. I didn't find solid proof._

_I had tried desperately to remember if his skin was cold and icy, but I couldn't. When I thought it through, I couldn't remember if I had even come into contact with his skin._

_Even worse, I found that not only was he was similar to Edward in looks, but it seemed his personality was a mix of Edward and Jacob Black! Which, of course, made it worse since I liked Jacob enormously in the books. Even though he had the same name as my brother._

_Then there was the issue of whether I was insane or not. I wasn't some kind of crazed fan girl! I didn't pore over every detail in the books, hoping that the stories were true! I didn't claim to be in love with Edward or Jacob. I didn't go crazy over fan sites. All I did was read the books and enjoy them just like I would any other good literary work. Yet here I was, thinking that my life was like the book. Did I want it to be?_

_The most pressing issue, besides the small fact that an immensely good-looking boy might thirst for blood, was that I was falling for him. I had never ever, in my entire life, had a boyfriend or anything close. My love life was non-existent. I never even liked a guy._

_There was always the off chance that I was mistaken. Because I had never been in love, I didn't know what it felt like. On the other hand, I had never felt this way about anyone either. So it could be love._

_Needless to say, my head was whirling when Ellis called my cell. He asked if I wanted to hang out again today. Beyond my better judgment, I said yes the instant he offered._

_I hurried to get dressed. I threw on a plain green long-sleeved shirt, the one top I owned that wasn't black. I also put my hair up again._

_"Whoa! Who are you, and what have you done with Alex?" teased Jake when he saw me. I ignored him._

_"I'm going out today. Is that all right?"_

_"Sure, sure."_

_"What!" I spun around in shock. He sounded just like a certain werewolf._

_"Relax, Lexie!" Jake chuckled. "It's just a joke."_

_"Fine. And don't call me Lexie." I muttered._

_"Will you be going to the convention?" he asked._

_"No."_

_"Good. It saves me the trouble of taking you. See you later, and call me so I know where you'll be later on."_

_"Bye," I called as he walked out the door of the hotel room._

_Ellis was waiting for me outside the hotel. He took my hand as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Instantly I forgot all my vampire problems when I looked into his eyes. They were just blue right now._

_"Did you sleep well?" he asked with a smile. I nodded._

_"Where's your bike?" I asked puzzled. I didn't see it parked anywhere._

_"Didn't bring it today." He led me over to a silver car. I didn't recognize it at first. Then I looked harder. It was a Volvo._

_"A Volvo?" I gasped. He laughed._

_"I know, I know. Living in Forks, driving a shiny, silver Volvo, someone might mistake me for Edward Cullen!" He meant it as a joke, but last night's accusations came rushing back to me. I must have started blushing, and he looked at me._

_"Is there something wrong with a car?" Ellis asked. I shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. He opened the door for me and I got in. I took a few deep breaths as he walked around to the driver's side._

_"So, I was thinking that today we could take a picnic to the clearing." Ellis pointed to a basket at my feet as we pulled out of the hotel parking lot._

_"Sounds great," I said, giving him a wide grin._

_We drove to the beginning of the trail and had to take the rest of the way on foot. As we were walking, I thought about my dream and my comparisons between Edward and Ellis. Obviously Ellis wasn't Edward, but there were similarities. It made it easier to determine the differences as I looked at Ellis walking beside me. He didn't seem to possess inhuman grace. Was it possible for a vampire to conceal that? He was well muscled, but that still wasn't proof. His eyes weren't gold all the time, unlike the whole Cullen family's. I couldn't be sure if his skin was pale enough. The real proof I needed was if he sparkled in the sun. I flinched inwardly. It didn't seem like something Ellis would do.  
"I noticed you weren't wearing black today," said Ellis, startling me out of my thoughts. I looked around me. We still weren't there yet._

_"Does it look all right?"_

_"I like how you look no matter what you wear, Alex. But I must say, green seems very nice." He grinned. I exhaled sharply, my way of laughing somewhat quietly. Only Ellis could smile like that._

_We finally got to the clearing. Ellis spread out the blanket while I unpacked the food. I was surprised by what I found._

_"Ellis," I said. "Why did you only pack enough food for me?" He sat down on the blue-checkered blanket and I set the basket in front of him._

_"Because, I'm not hungry."_

_"Why?"_

_"I don't know," he replied. I wasn't satisfied, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. He seemed irritated, though he didn't show it._

_After I finished eating, I leaned back, staring at the overcast sky._

_"Is it nice here when the weather is sunny?" I asked. I hoped the question seemed innocent enough._

_"Of course." Ellis looked over at me. "Sometimes, if it's wet enough, rainbows can be seen as the sunlight goes through the drops." He toyed with a leaf._

_I had been hoping for an answer that involved him staying indoors during sunny days. Nothing was ruled out though, unfortunately. He didn't have to be around humans to go outside in the light. I slid closer to him._

_"Would you mind if I asked a personal question?" I had been wondering about this a bit._

_"Go ahead."_

_"What happened to your mother?" I sat up and looked at Ellis. His eyes flashed gold._

_"She died," he answered after a pause. "It happened a long time ago. I don't want to talk about how it happened." His expression was downcast._

_"I'm so sorry," I whispered, putting my hand over his. Ellis took it firmly. "I don't want you to be upset."_

_"Ok, so I don't have a mother and you don't have a father. What happened to him?" said Ellis looking at me intently. I bristled._

_"I do have a father. He simply disappeared."_

_"How long ago?"_

_"Two years."_

_"Well, what happened?" he pushed. I didn't want to talk about it, but I felt I had no choice, especially with those beautiful blue eyes staring me down._

_"Fine. It was on an August day, normal like any other. He went to work in the morning like usual, and when dinnertime rolled around, he didn't come home._

_"We waited for hours. Finally, I realized something was wrong. My mom had figured it out even before that. Dad was never late unless it was something really important, and even then he would call._

_"The police investigated for months, but found nothing. Not a single clue. He simply disappeared. The court ruled him legally dead, but I don't accept that. There's no solid proof that he's not alive." Ellis laughed softly._

_"What?" I demanded. "There's nothing funny about it."_

_"No, no. Nothing like that. Were you close to your father?" The smile faded from his expression to be replaced with seriousness._

_"Yes," I replied softly. "He took me hiking in the mountains practically every weekend. Dad was the one person I could talk to. I was never open with anyone else ever again."_

_"That's the reason you stay away from having friends or even knowing other people," stated Ellis. I nodded, unable to speak past the tightening in my throat. He hesitated._

_"Why did you choose me?"_

_I knew what he meant._

_"There's no logical reason. I was acting on instinct. Every thought in my head told me to trust you, was about you." I answered in a whisper. I flushed, feeling so foolish. It seems I had obtained Bella's obsession. Ellis lay down on the blanket and closed his eyes._

_"The same thing happened with me. I had been watching you from the trees before I even entered the clearing yesterday," he said without opening his eyes. I was glad he couldn't see the astonishment in my eyes._

_"I knew I should've just walked away as soon as I saw you. But…" My heart skipped a beat. "I felt that if I walked away, I would never forgive myself. I would never have known what happened. I'm certain of it now. If we were to leave and not see each other ever again, I'd go crazy."_

_I turned away from his perfect face. Still whispering I said, "You shouldn't waste your time on me. I can't be close to anyone anymore."_

_"Too late," he responded. I looked at him in shock. I knew he was right. My stomach flip-flopped. What I had vowed never to do had happened. This was irreversible. We were too far gone. So I gave in._

_I lay down next to Ellis and he put his arm around me. My mind just barely registered that this scene was somewhat similar to the meadow scene in Twilight. His eyes wouldn't stop flashing blue and gold. I put my hand on his cheek._

_"Why do your eyes do that?" I asked._

_"Do what?" he said with a puzzled expression. I laughed._

_"Flash from blue to gold. They do it when you look at me like that."_

_"Weird," he muttered. " My eyes are just blue. They've never been gold."_

_There went the golden eyes theory._

_"Never mind." I said, shaking my head. It didn't matter._

_Later on, when I combed desperately over this perfect memory, I was shocked to remember that his skin was very cold against my hand. It would be the last time I would ever touch that perfect face._

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_That night I couldn't sleep. Something was bothering me, though I didn't know what. I kept tossing and turning. It felt like there was a hundred pound weight in my stomach and a hammer pounding on my head._

_Ellis's face kept appearing in front of my closed eyes. I couldn't shake the image. It was one of the worst nights of my life._

_The next morning, I felt terrible. Jake was gone before I got up. I immediately checked my phone to see if Ellis had called. He hadn't. I quickly threw on my clothes and headed down to the clearing._

_The day was sunny for a change. I looked forward to seeing Ellis and discovering if he changed in the sun. When I finished clawing my way through the forest and emerged into the clearing, my eyes almost flew out of my head. The scenery was gorgeous. Rainbows sparkled everywhere as the sun shone through all the water on the leaves. He was right. It was very nice._

_Something out of the ordinary caught my eye. On one of the stumps was a piece of paper covered by a small plastic bag. On the paper were words that I would come to hate. It said,_

**_Alex,_**

**_I don't know what to say, or even how to say it. But I'm leaving. I can't tell you how _**

**_I don't think I can handle_**

**_It's for the best if I_**

**_Good bye._**

_I knew who it was from. What I didn't know was what it meant. I sat on the stump staring blankly at the paper. I couldn't comprehend what those words signified. I stayed in the clearing for hours not thinking, not feeling. I was in shock._

_With a searing pain in my chest, I finally realized what it meant. Ellis was gone. He wasn't coming back._

_I nearly doubled over in agony. Tears streamed down my face. I didn't make a sound other than my ragged breathing. He didn't feel anything for me. I wasn't worth it. He didn't want me. It was the only reason I could come up with._

_I clung tightly to my memory of his beautiful face, the sound of his laughter. My chest heaved up and down. It felt like there was a gaping hole where my heart had been._

_I was in so much pain over a boy I had known for only two days. I knew it was irrational and pointless and stupid, but I couldn't help what was happening to me. I couldn't stop the hurting. I couldn't make myself forget. Ellis was gone forever and all I could think was, "It's all my fault."_

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_When my awareness returned, I was surprised to find that I was lying on the ground. The sun was setting. I had been in the clearing all day. His note was still clutched in my hand. I felt mercifully numb. That's probably why I had regained consciousness. I had to force myself to get up. I went back to the hotel where I collapsed in bed. I was barely aware of Jake shaking me and yelling, "Alex! What's wrong with you? Are you sick?"_

_I looked him groggily and shook my head._

_His face became fuzzy. Suddenly my world went black._

_Slowly, consciousness returned. My body felt heavy. I couldn't move or open my eyes. I tried to remember what happened, but found nothing. I was so cold. For the briefest part of a second, a face flashed in my mind. With it, an instant of pain. I screamed and shot upright in bed, looking around._

_Jacob was sitting on the other bed in the room staring at me intently._

_"What happened?" I demanded._

_"I should be asking you the same thing," said Jake, frowning. "You've been out of it for three days, tossing and turning the whole time."_

_That explained why I felt so exhausted. I continued to stare at him blankly._

_"I found you sprawled on the bed covered in mud a few days ago. You wouldn't wake up. I almost called the doctor," he said._

_"You didn't, did you?" I asked. He shook his head._

_"I was going to today if you didn't get better. Now what happened?" Jake demanded. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember._

_"I don't know," I whispered slowly._

_"You kept muttering in your sleep. You said, 'It's all my fault,' and 'He's gone.' Oh, and something about someone named Ellis."_

_It felt like an icy knife was thrust into my heart as Jacob said that name. My breath came out in a rush. I clutched the blankets and hunched over. I suddenly remembered everything._

_"What the heck is wrong with you?" shouted Jake staring at me with wide eyes. He ran over to me. "Who's Ellis?"_

_I shook my head._

_"Who is Ellis?" Jake said slowly but loudly._

_"Stop saying that name!" I screeched. "He's no one, just some boy that I met! It doesn't matter anyway! He left! He's gone forever!"_

_"Did he hurt you or something? Why were you lying in the mud?" Jake asked softly._

_"No, he didn't hit me. I lay down on the ground myself. I fell asleep." I replied truthfully. Jake looked doubtful. "He went away and I took it harder than I should have. End of story."_

_"Lexie, this guy practically drove you into a coma and you're acting like this is no big deal!" he shouted, standing up. A hot rush of anger swept through me._

_"It's none of your business!" I shouted back at him. I grabbed my jacket and stormed out the door. "I'll be back!" I called behind me._

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_I ran. I didn't care how my body felt. I just needed to run. My bare feet pounded the pavement, matching the slow and painful beat of my heart. His name thudded through my head with every breath. It was agony. I needed relief. I needed peace. So I went to the clearing._

And her memories stopped. Reliving it had numbed the pain. Alex looked around bewildered. It was twilight in the clearing. Stars were beginning to show in the sky. Her feet were scratched up. She hadn't even noticed.

Breathing in and out, Alex felt the cool air clear her head. She sat, just thinking, sorting things out. He was gone, but life went on. She had to hide the pain, or she'd be sent to an asylum. She had to continue living for her family. She couldn't go under like she did before.

Suddenly a rustling sounded in the forest. Alex opened her eyes. A dark figure stepped out from the trees. Her heart sped up and almost flew out of her chest. Was it _him_?

It wasn't. It was a man she had never seen before. Fear shot through Alex. The man was very large and dangerous-looking. He was holding a knife and a wild look gleamed in his eyes. His clothes were torn and tattered. He was filthy.

"Hello, there," he said in a growling voice. "Aren't you a pretty thing." He didn't sound friendly.

Alex knew what was coming and bolted. She ran faster than she ever had in her life. She raced through the forest with only splotches of moonlight to guide her way. Rocks, sticks, and tree roots jabbed into her feet but she didn't stop or slow down. She heard the thudding footfalls of the man behind her. He ran faster than she had expected.

Fortunately she heard him fall behind. She ran out into a small opening in the thick forest. Alex looked over her shoulder, still running, and smacked into something hard. She fell back. The moonlight was behind the shape, and for a second, she thought it was her pursuer. He reached out a hand and said, "Alex."

A jolt shot through her. She knew that voice. "Ellis!" she screeched. Alex jumped up into his arms.

"We have to go," she sobbed. "Someone's coming, he-"

"Climb up," Ellis said, pulling her onto his back.

"What are you-?" she started.

"There's no time for talking." Ellis started running. Alex's hands clung onto his shoulders while her legs wrapped around his middle. She pressed her face into his neck. Ellis sprinted through the trees so fast that the word vampire flickered in Alex's mind. But she didn't care. She didn't hear the psychopath tramping after them anymore.

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They ended up back in the clearing.

Ellis set Alex down, and sobs wracked through her body. She looked up at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his eyes wide.

"A lot of things!" she said loudly, sitting down on a stump. Ellis stayed standing. Moonlight filtered down through the trees giving the whole clearing an ethereal look. He truly seemed to be a vampire tonight.

"Like what?" he said.

"Like, why did you leave me?" Tears streamed down her face. Ellis's face twisted in pain.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered. "I couldn't say it to you in person, not after what happened the day before. I was too weak to tell you goodbye."

"Weak? What are you talking about? Why did you come back?" Alex hurled the questions at him. Shock leaped into his eyes.

"Come back? Of course I came back!"

"But… why would you come back if you didn't want me?" Her voice sounded blank. Confusion was plain in Ellis's face.

"How could I not want you? You-," he stopped. "You thought I was leaving forever. After everything I've told you." His voice was thick with disbelief. Alex nodded, unable to speak, unable to understand what he was saying.

"Alex, I will never stop loving you." She froze. It was the first time he had ever voiced the strong feeling that surrounded both of them.

The numbness that had been with her ever since she woke up after reading his note was suddenly gone. Alex looked up at him with new life in her eyes. She ran to him and pressed her face against his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her.

"I love you," she murmured. Ellis sighed with contentment.

"Where did you even go?" Alex asked. He laughed softly. "I simply went to my cousins' house in Seattle." A frown crossed his face. "My uncle died of cancer, and I had to attend his funeral."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she said. Alex felt so foolish for jumping to such extreme conclusions.

"It's ok. I barely even knew him." His lips brushed against her hair. "So much has happened. I can barely keep my mind straight."

Alex ran through everything in her mind. She had suffered through a Twilight convention, met her true love, fell into a coma, and nearly escaped death all in one week. Alex suddenly remembered the attacker. She jumped back away from Ellis, anger coursing through her body.

"Why didn't you tear that guy to shreds?" Alex shouted. "You just ran away. You could've done more! You could have fought!"

"Alex, he had a knife!" Ellis replied, shocked at the change in topic.

"Knives don't hurt vampires!" she yelled, throwing her hands up. He stared at Alex with impossibly beautiful golden eyes.

"Vampires? You think I'm- I'm a," he stuttered. She nodded.

"I know you are. The golden eyes, the non-existent appetite, cold skin, and living in Forks! You are a vampire!" And then Ellis did the most unexpected thing. He laughed. Taking Alex in his arms, he rubbed her tears away with his thumb.

"I told you before, my eyes are blue. They've never been gold."

"They are right now."

"All right, well I don't eat in front of you because I'm diabetic. I have all my food at my house."

"Oops," said Alex, blushing. "What about the cold skin?"

"Your skin is just as cold as mine right now."

"Oh." Alex didn't know what to say next. Ellis laughed softly.

"I can see that there are many coincidences, but if you need more evidence…" He put both hands on Alex's head and moved her ear to his chest.

She heard a heartbeat.

**00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000**

_Reviews are welcome, including negative ones! I would like to improve my writing. Also I need some ideas for a sequel. I'm coming up blank, and I'd very much like to continue Alex and Ellis's story. I hope you enjoyed _Delusional_ as much as I did writing it. _

_--Allusioned Thoughts a.k.a. Lori_


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